Apparatus for operating on soles



Nov, 3, 1936. L. J. BAZZONI APPARATUS FOR OPERATING ON SOLES Original Filed Sept. 20, 1933 Patented Nov. 3, 1936 UNH'E'ED S'E'A'i'fih APPARATUS FOR OPERATING 0N SOLES Lewis J. Bazzoni, Swampscott, Mass, assignor to United Shoe Machinery Corporation, Paterson, N. 5., a corporation of New Jersey 11 Claims.

This invention relates to outsoles for shoes and to devices for operating on outsoles and is illustrated herein as embodied in a device for treating the shank portions of outsoles. The present application is a division of my copending application Serial No. 690,218, filed September 20, 1933, and directed to methods of making shoes.

In many types of shoes it is desirable to have the sole margins in the shank portion of the shoe fit tightly against the shoe upper so as substantially to close up the space or crease which would otherwise exist between the upper and sole margins at this portion of the shoe. A close shank not only adds greatly to the appearance of the shoe but also assists in properly supporting the foot at the instep portion. This close shank effect is especially difficult to obtain in welt work because the sole margins at the shank portion of the shoe are raised so far away from the shoe upper by the table of the outsole stitching machine during the sole attaching operation that these margins have a tendency to return to this raised position even after a leveling operation has been performed on the sole to conform it to the shape of the shoe bottom.

An object of the present invention is to provide an improved apparatus for preparing outsoles for use in the manufacture of shoes having close fitting sole margins at their shank portions.

As illustrated herein and in accordance with one feature of the invention, the present apparatus is arranged to displace or compress the material adjacent to the grain or tread surface at the shank portion of an outsole transversely or widthwise relatively to material adjacent to the attaching surface of the sole while the shape of said attaching surface is maintained substantially unchanged. Presser plates or slides are provided in the frame or base of the device, said plates having inner work-engaging edges which conform to the longitudinal contour of the shank portion of the sole when it is located tread side down on the base. The Work-engaging edges of the plates are beveled in such a manner that the material at the shank portion of the sole will be engaged first near its outer or tread surface and pressed inwardly of the edges of the sole, the pressure diminishing progressively as the work-engaging edges of the plates come into engagement with the material adjacent to the inner or attaching surface of the sole. The sole is held fiat between the base plate and a clamping plate during the displacing operation, the base plate preferably, and as illustrated herein, being provided with a 1ongitudinal recess or groove to receive the displaced material and thereby cause a bulge or ridge to be formed lengthwise of the shank portion of the sole. If it is desired to compress the material of the outsole rather than to displace it by forming a bulge, the base plate may be constructed without a groove under the shank portion of the sole. An outsole thus prepared may be pressed or leveled against the shank portion of a transversely convex shoe bottom to bring the marginal portions of the sole into permanent close fitting relation to the shoe upper without setting up undue stresses or strains on the outseam stitches if the shoe is a welt shoe, and without danger of weakening the cement bond between the outsole and the shoe bottom if the outsole is attached to the shoe by cement.

The above and other objects and features of the invention will appear more fully from the following description when read in connection with the accompanying drawing and will be pointed out in the appended claims.

In the drawing,

Fig. 1 is a plan view of the device embodying the present invention, the upper portion of the device being removed;

Fig. 2 is a side view of the device with its lower portion shown in section;

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary view similar to the section in Fig. 2 showing the device operating upon the sole; and

Fig. 4 is a transverse sectional View of a portion of the device operating on a sole the edges of which are beveled, the inner edges of the presser plates of the device being substantially vertical and the base plate having no recess therein to permit displacement of the material of the sole.

The device for operating on the shank portions of outsoles, as illustrated herein, comprises a C-shaped frame provided with a substantially rectangular base plate it, supported by legs 62 and arranged to be mounted, for example, by screws, on a work bench or table, the base plate 99 having a flat sole-engaging surface. Projecting upwardly from the four corners of the upper surface of the base plate are rectangular lugs l4 and I6 (Fig. 1) the height of which is a little less than the thickness of the sole to be operated upon. The lugs iii are located at one side of the base plate and have their inner adjacent edges diverging from top to bottom to form the side walls of a guideway in which is slidably mounted a presser member or plate 18, the inclined side walls of the guideway retaining the plate therein. The lugs M at the opposite side of the base plate also have their inner and adjacent edge faces diverging to form a guide- Way for a similar presser plate 20, these plates being a little less in thickness than the heights of the lugs l4 and I 6. The edge faces of the presser plates l8 and 29] which are arranged to engage the outsole, indicated respectively by the numerals 2| and 23 in Figs. 1 and 2, are inclined or beveled at an angle of substantially 45 to the lower surfaces of the plates. These beveled inner edges 2| and 23, as seen in plan view (Fig. 1)., are shaped lengthwise to conform substantially to the longitudinal contour of the shank portion of either a right or a left sole, depending upon which sole is to be operated upon, and the plates are of sufficient Width to extend from about the heel breast line of the sole to a point just rearwardly of the ball line.

The outer portions of the presser plates l8 and 20 project out of the guideways and are provided respectively at their outer sides with outwardly projecting ears 22 and 24. Fixedly mounted in the ears 22, 24 are downwardly projecting studs 26, 28 (Fig. 2) having openings therein into which are threaded headed stud screws 35 and 32, the latter providing pivotal mountings for the outer ends of a pair of substantially horizontal links 34, 36. The inner ends of these links are pivotally connected by means of screws 38, 49 to a disk-shaped member 42 formed on the inner end of an arm 44 which is pivotally secured to the under side of the base plate 40 by a screw 48 threaded into the plate. It will be noted in Fig. 1 that the inner ends of the links 34, 35: are connected to the disk-shaped member 42 at diametrically opposite sides of its pivot 46 so that movement of the arm 44 to rotate the member 42 about its pivot will cause the links to move equal amounts in opposite directions, thereby moving the presser plates in a similar manner in their guideways on the base plate ID. The central portion of the base plate preferably has formed therein a groove or depression 48 which is located longitudinally of the shank portion of a sole resting on the base plate. As shown in Fig. l, the opposite ends of the depression 48 extend somewhat beyond the heel breast line and the ball line of the sole.

At the left-hand side of the base plate, as viewed in Fig. 1, is a laterally extending wall or web 59 which is supported by a leg and supports a hollow and substantially rectangular column 52 projecting upwardly above the base plate and then extending forwardly over its central portion to form the upper part of the C-shaped frame, the forwardly extending portion of the column being shown only in Fig. 2. At its forward end the column 52 is provided with a substantially vertical surface 53 and the lower portion of this surface projects forwardly at opposite sides to form a pair of side walls 54 and 56., Mounted for reciprocative movement between these side walls is the shank portion 58 of a relatively heavy holddown or clamping plate 60 the bottom surface of which is approximately equal to the area of the base plate ID, the shank portion 58 of this clamping member being retained in position between the side walls 54 and 56 by means of a cover plate 62 secured by screws 64 to the outer edges of the side walls. A lower or work-engaging surface 6| of the clamping plate is arranged to engage a sole A resting on the base plate to hold the sole rigidly in position during the displacing operation.

At the upper end of the shank portion 58 of the clamping plate 60 is a vertical ear 68 which has threaded horizontally therein a screw the inner portion of which is reduced in diameter and extends into a cam slot 72 formed in a substantially vertical cam disk 14 pivotally secured by a screw Hi to the upper portion of the vertical surface 53 on the forwardly extending portion of the column 52. The cam slot 72 is positioned so that the screw will be moved up and down as the cam 14 is rotated about its pivot l6 and the cam is provided with a handle 18 by which it may be rotated to raise or lower the clamping plate 60, the friction between the surface 53 and the adjacent surface of the cam preventing the latter from rotating until it is moved by the operator.

The upwardly extending column 52 is provided, adjacent to the base plate ID, with a horizontal opening into which is threaded an adjustable positioning screw 80 (Fig. 1) having a head 82 for engagement with the end of a sole to position the latter longitudinally of the base plate. A look nut 84 is provided for locking the screw 8i! in adjusted position.

In the use of the device an outsole A, preferably of leather, is placed on the base plate W with its flesh or attaching surface facing upwardly, as shown in Fig. 1. The outsole A which, as herein illustrated, is a right outsole, is located with its heel end engaging the head of the screw 80, thereby positioning the sole longitudinally relatively to the presser plates l8 and 263. The operator then moves the handle 18 of the cam disk 74 to lower the clamping plate 65 until its work-engaging surface fil presses against the sole to clamp the latter firmly against the base plate. The horizontal disk 42 is then rotated by the handle 44 in a clockwise direction, as viewed in Fig. 1, to move the presser plates 58 and 2t] inwardly toward the opposite edges of the shank portion of the sole. As the presser plates move inwardly their beveled Work-engaging surfaces 2| and 23 come into engagement first with those portions of the edge faces of the sole which are nearer its tread or grain surface and start forcing the material inwardly or transversely toward the center line of the sole. Continued movement of the presser plates displaces the material in the shank portion of the sole widthwise and forces some of it into the depression 48 in the base plate [9, as shown in Fig. 3. The operator rotates the handle 44 until the beveled edges of the presser plates are engaging the full thickness of the sole and the material in the shank portion of the sole has been displaced sufliciently to fill the depression 48 in the base plate, thus forming a bulge or ridge on the tread. surface which extends lengthwise of the shank portion of the sole, the edges of the sole now conforming in shape to the beveled edges of the presser plates. After a brief interval the operator returns the handles to their initial positions to withdraw the presser plates and raise the clamping member away from the sole so that the latter can be removed from the device.

Fig. 4 illustrates a modification of the device shown in Figs. 1 to 3, inclusive, and adapted to operate on outsoles by compressing the material adjacent to their tread surfaces rather than by displacing this material to form a bulge. The edge faces of an outsole A are first beveled at the shank portion in such a manner that the grain or tread surface of this portion is left considerably wider than its shoe-engaging surface. The outsole is then located, grain side down, on the base plate Iii of the device, which is similar in construction to that described above except that its base plate ill has no longitudinal groove arranged to underlie the center of the shank portion of the sole. A holddown or clamping member 60 clamps the sole firmly against the base plate, as shown in Fig. 4, and presser members or plates l8 and 26 having inner edges which conform in shape to the shank portion of the sole being operated on are moved in against the opposite lateral edges of the sole.

The work engaging edges of the presser plates l8 and 20 are not inclined or beveled as in the device described above, but are located substantially at right angles to the upper and lower surfaces of the plates, these edges being indicated respectively in Fig. 4 by the numerals 2 l and 23. When the presser plates are moved inwardly toward the beveled edges of the shank portion of the sole they engage these edges first near the tread surface of the sole and force the material adjacent to this surface inwardly. Since there is no depression in the base plate if! into which the material at the tread surface can be displaced, this material wil be compressed as the plates move inwardly to engage the full thickness of the sole. The presser plates will compress the material at and adjacent to the tread surface of the sole until it is substantially the same width as the material at the attaching surface thereof without causing any substantial compression of the material adjacent to the attaching surface, thereby straightening the edges of the sole until they are substantially parallel to each other and at right angles to the tread surface of the sole.

The sole can now be laid on a shoe bottom in the usual manner and attached to the shoe either by cement or by stitches. A sole leveling operation may then be performed to exert pressure against the outer or tread surface of the sole sufficient to expand the compressed material or to reduce the bulge and thus cause the material adjacent to the tread surface to widen transversely of the shank portion of the sole without any appreciable expansion of the material nearer the attaching surface of the sole. As the sole margins are forced into close fitting relation to the shoe upper, the material at the tread. portion of the sole will widen or expand relatively to the material adjacent to the attaching surface to relieve the stresses in the outer material and thus permit the sole margins to remain permanently against the upper. Since the permanent close fitting relation of the sole margins to the upper is obtained through the widening of previously displaced or previously compressed material adjacent to the tread surface of the sole rather than by stretching this material during a leveling operation, the danger of putting undue stresses or strains on the outseam stitches or the cement by a subsequent contraction of this material is practically eliminated.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

l. A device for operating upon soles having, in combination, a base for supporting a sole, means for holding the sole on said base, and members for pressing the opposite lateral edge faces of the sole, inwardly toward its longitudinal median line, the sole-engaging portions of said members being beveled.

2. A device for operating upon soles having, in

combination, a base for supporting a sole, a member for clamping the sole fiat on the base, and means relatively movable between the base and the clamping member for engaging the opposite lateral edges of the shank portion of the sole and simultaneously pressing said edges equal amounts toward the longitudinal median line of the sole thereby displacing material of the shank portion of the sole widthwise.

3. A device for operating upon soles having, in combination, a base having a fiat surface'for supporting a sole, means movable at right angles to the surface of the base for engaging the full width of the sole and clamping it thereon, pressure applying members movable in opposite directions laterally of the sole for engaging the opposite edge faces thereof and pressing said edge faces inwardly to displace material of the sole widthwise, and means for simultaneously moving said pressure applying members equal distances laterally of the sole.

4. A device for operating on soles having, in combination, a base for supporting a sole, means for holding the sole fiat on the base, pressure applying members movable transversely of the sole and parallel to the plane thereof for engaging the opposite lateral edge faces of the sole and applying pressure thereto to displace the material of the sole widthwise, means for moving said members equal amounts in opposite directions, and means for controlling the position of the material displaced.

5. A device for operating upon soles having, in combination, a frame provided with a relatively flat surface for supporting a sole, a member movable at right angles to said surface for clamping the sole thereon, and pressing members movable transversely of the sole and arranged to press the opposite lateral edges of the sole inwardly toward its longitudinal center line thereby compressing material of the sole widthwise, the work engaging portions of said pressing members being beveled and conforming longitudinally to the shape of the sole being operated upon.

6. A device for operating upon soles having, in combination, a frame having a surface for supporting a sole, a clamp movable at right angles to the supporting surface for clamping the sole thereon, and presser plates movable in opposite directions between the clamp and the supporting surface for pressing the opposite lateral edge faces of the sole inwardly to displace material in the shank portion of the sole widthwise, said plates having their work engaging surfaces beveled in order to apply pressure progressively to said edge faces.

'7. A device for operating upon soles having, in combination, a frame with a surface thereon for supporting a sole with its tread side down, said surface being provided with a groove which extends longitudinally of the sole, a clamp carried by the frame and arranged to hold the sole on the supporting surface, means for actuating said clamp, and presser plates movable in opposite directions between the clamp and the supporting surface for pressing against the opposite lateral edges of the shank portion of the sole and displacing the material thereof inwardly toward the longitudinal center line of the sole, thereby filling said groove and forming a bulge on the tread surface of the sole, said plates being shaped to conform to the periphery of the shank portion of the sole and having their work engaging surfaces disposed at acute angles relatively to their lower surfaces so that the inward displacement of the material will be effected progressively from the attaching surface to the tread surface of the sole.

8. A device for operating upon soles having, in combination, a frame with a surface thereon for supporting a sole, means for locating the sole lengthwise of the supporting surface, a clamp movable at right angles to said supporting surface for holding the sole thereon, manually operable means for actuating said clamp, and pressure applying plates arranged to move equal amounts in opposite directions between the supporting surface and the clamp when the latter is in operative position to engage the opposite lateral edges at the shank portion of the sole and to press them inwardly toward the longitudinal center line of the sole, said plates having beveled sole-engaging surfaces so that the edges of the sole are pressed inwardly different amounts heightwise of the sole.

9. A device for operating upon soles having, in combination, a frame having a flat surface thereon for supporting a sole, adjustable means for engaging the heel end of the sole to position it longitudinally of said surface, a clamp for holding the sole on the supporting surface, a manually operated cam for actuating said clamp, pressure applying plates mounted between the supporting surface and the clamp and arranged for movement relatively thereto when the clamp is in operative position thereby to apply pressure to opposite edge faces of the sole, and spacing means on the supporting surface for permitting relative movement of the plates when the clamp is holding the sole on said surface.

10. A device for operating upon soles having, in combination, a frame provided with a surface for supporting a sole, said surface having a depression therein underlying the shank portion of the sole, a clamp for holding the sole rigidly on said supporting surface, a pair of presser plates on the frame movable equal amounts in opposite directions, said plates being arranged to engage the opposite lateral edges of the shank portion of the sole and to press said edges inwardly, thereby forcing material at the central portion of the sole into said depression and displacing said material widthwise of the sole, and means for operating the presser plates simultaneously.

11. A device for operating upon soles having, in combination, a frame provided with a base plate for supporting a sole with its tread surface against said plate, said plate having a groove located longitudinally and centrally of the shank portion of the sole, a clamp for engaging the attaching surface of the sole and pressing the sole against the base plate, and a pair of oppositely disposed presser plates for pressing the opposite lateral edges of the shank portion of the sole inwardly toward its longitudinal center line thereby forcing material at said shank portion into said groove to form a bulge longitudinally of said shank portion, the work engaging edges of said presser plates conforming to the shape of the sole and being inclined to form acute angles with their lower surfaces so that the pressure applied to the lateral edges of the sole will increase progressively from the attaching surface to the tread surface of the sole, thereby displacing the material adjacent to said tread surface inwardly toward said longitudinal center line a greater amount than the material adjacent to the attaching surface of the sole while leaving said attaching surface in substantially its original condition.

LEWIS J. BAZZONI. 

